This invention relates to a drainage apparatus of a clothes washing machine, and more particularly to a drainage apparatus of a clothes washing machine which is comprised of simple structural components in lieu of a solenoid coil.
A conventional washing machine, shown in FIG. 5, comprises a body 1 in which a water container 2, a dehydrating spin basket 3 and a pulsator 4 are provided. Under the water container 2 there is a power transmitting means 5 in which the power generated by a motor 6 is selectively transmitted to the dehydrating spin basket 3 and the pulsator 4 by a clutch lever 9.
Connected to the lower portion of the water container 2 a hose 7 is provided for draining the washing water in the water container 2, and a drainage valve 8 having an elastic member is provided for closing/opening the hose 7. A drain motor member 10 is mounted adjacent to the drainage valve 8 in a predetermined space for controlling the operation of the clutch lever 9 and the drainage valve 8. A wire 8b is further provided for connecting the clutch lever 9 and the drainage valve 8.
The drain motor member 10 of the prior art drainage apparatus, shown in FIGS. 6, 7A and 7B, comprises a couple of reduction assemblies "A", "B" which are comprised of a plurality of gears for transmitting the power of a motor 11 to a pulley 17. For interconnecting the reduction gear assemblies "A", "B" a clutch gear 12a is installed. At the lower portion of the clutch gear 12a a protuberance 19a is formed, and a groove 19b is provided in a wall of a gear A1 of the reduction gear assembly "A", which groove corresponds to the protuberance 19a for selectively fitting with the protuberance 19a. Moreover, a spring 18 is placed between the protuberance 19a and the groove 19b for biasing upwardly the clutch gear 12a at all times.
Further, a solenoid 13 is provided at the upper portion of the clutch gear 12a. When electricity is applied to the solenoid 13, a rod 13a of the solenoid 13 pushes downwardly the clutch gear 12a to connect the reduction gear assembly "A" with the reduction gear assembly "B", and the rotation force of the motor 11 is transmitted to the reduction gear assembly "B".
The reduction gear assembly "B" comprises a driven shaft 14 for transferring the rotation force of the motor 11 to the pulley 17, and an interrupting cam 15 provided on an intermediated portion of the driven shaft 14. Adjacent the circumference of the cam 15 a first switch lead 16a and a second switch lead 16b are provided to be actuated by the cam 15 for controlling the operation of the motor 11. The cam 15 further comprises a groove 15a for closing/opening the points between the first and the second leads 16a, 16b, selectively. The pulley 17 disposed at one end of the shaft 14 is connected to the wire 8b for the closing/opening of the drainage valve 8.
The drainage apparatus having the construction as described above, is operated as follows. As the washing cycle is switched into the drainage mode, electricity is applied to the motor 11, and simultaneously to the solenoid 13. The motor 11 drives the reduction gear assembly "A" connected to the motor 11. At the same time, the solenoid 13 pushes the rod 13A down. Upon the downward movement of the clutch gear 12a, the protuberance 19a is fitted in the groove 19b so that the rotation force of the reduction gear assembly "A" is transferred to the reduction gear assembly "B". The delivered force to the reduction gear assembly "B" is transferred to the pulley 17 through the driven shaft 14. The pulley 17 rotates and pulls the wire 8b a predecided length so as to open the drainage valve 8.
Upon the rotation of the pulley 17, the groove 15a of the cam 15 rotates. The free tip of the second switch lead 16b slides into the groove 15a so that the operation of the motor 11 comes to rest (FIG. 7B). However, since electricity is still applied to the solenoid 13, the rod 13a of the solenoid 13 stays in the pushed position toward the clutch gear 12a. Since the reduction gear assemblies "A", "B" are engaged with each other, but at a standstill, the wire 8b is still in tension.
Finishing the drainage mode, electricity applied to the solenoid 13 is cut off so the clutch gear 12a is moved upward by the compressed spring 18. Thus, the connection between the reduction gear assemblies "A", "B" is disengaged. The pulley 17 connected to the reduction gear assembly "B" is free of the force of the motor 11. The wire 8b connected to the pulley 17 is returned to an initial position by the elastic force of an elastic member (not shown) housed in the valve 8. Simultaneously, the cam 15 is rotated in a reverse direction so that the first and the second leads 16a, 16b contact each other (FIG. 7A). That is, the switches 16a, 16b also are returned to the initial position.
However, since electricity, in the prior art drainage apparatus, is always supplied to the solenoid when in the drainage mode, a cut-off of the wire of the solenoid may occur due to heat generated by the coil resistance of the solenoid. Thus, the drainage apparatus malfunctions.